University auditorium, Amatcrdam (Thesis project by van Eesteren 1922) Color scheme by van Doesburg 1923

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1 GlirCKIIST - THi-O VM^ DOESBURG: TIIK DEVKlOrMEnT OF AH ARCHITECTURli: Opcntng April /o n 10 University auditorium, Amatcrdam (Thesis project by van Eesteren 1922) Color scheme by van Doesburg 1923 Ink, pencil, gouache and collage on paper IB 12 Elevation ^\ ' D 13 Elevation U 14 Elevation B 15 Elevation ' ', i\ ' D 19 Pwivatc House, project 1923 A::onoinetric projection - Black and white print ^ 20 ' A::onomotrtc projection Black apd vhite print t

2 ^ I van Docoburs/2 B 23 Private H0U80, project 1923 A::onoinetrlc projection Dlack and vhlte print vlth gouache and collage Collection van Eesteren, Amstordam B 24 ' Axonomotrtc projection,' Lithosraph, Collection van Doesburg, Paris ;: I', B 25 Study for "Counter-Construction" /, B 26 Ink, couache on paper ^i ; Study for "Counter-Construction" ' B V 9> '"Counter-Construction"^ / Photomontage ' ' * ; B 27 "Counter-Cons truetlorf' Pencil and gouache on paper x ' B 28 ^ "Counter-Construction"! v ' V ' Pencil and black ink on tracing paper Collection van Doesburg, Poris ; 't ' ^", 'i_ V ' ' ^ : ;; v ^ ;, ' "» - 1 J -^

3 van Doesburg/3 jj 30 Vrlvate House, project 1923 "Counter-Construetlon" Black and white print CoUectlbn van Doesburgi Paris f D 29 ' 'Counter-Construction!' \:' Blade and \4hlte print with gouache' ' IttlA "Counter-Construction" Ink and gouache on paper : The lluseum of Modern Art, New York <** B "Counter-Construction" i-\ Ink and gouache on paper Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam B 32 Private House, project 1924 ^Counter-Construction" Pencil, ink and gouache on paper Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam ; ' < ' '?, K» B 42 House for an artist, project 1923 itxonometric projection ;' Black and white print Collection van Beetereni Amsterdam t B 43 House for an artist, project 1923 ;j ;; Color sketch ^ ^ 'y ^ it'' :'-''*' >' ' :' -v sv^i:^-: V; Pencil and gouache on paper > v, Collection van Sestaren, Ai^sterdam, i: <' 1/, > «' = :, :, > ; : Is > ; ; ;

4 von Docsburc/^ D 44 House for an artist, project 1923 "Counter-Construction" Pencil, gouache on tiraclng paper AVNaT "Composition Circulaire" about 1923 (Originating from a "Counter-Construction") Pencil, ink and gouache on facing paper The Estate of Lester Francis AVnet, New York B 49 Charles de Noailles House, Hy^res, France "Chambre de Fleurs" Color scheme Ink, pencil and gouache on tracing paper StGdclijk van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven,% B 52 Caf6 Aubctte, Strasbourg 1926 Preliminary study for the ceiling of the caf6-bar Pencil, ink and gouache on paper ' D 53 *Caf6 Aubotto, Straobourg 1927 \/orkin2 drawing for vrall of the "Dancing" hall Pencil and ink on tracing paper Q 57 * Caf6 Aubettc, Strasbourg 1927 Color scheme for wall of the "Dancing" hall Black and white print with gouache, ^ 59: Caf6 Aubette, Strasbourg 1927 Color scheme for celling of the "Dancing" hall Black and white print with gouache ^ l" Collection van Doesburg» Paris v^

5 tf{ van DoQobuiT,/5 D 53 Gaf^ Aubette, Strasbourg 1927 Preliminary color study for celling of th«"dancing" hall Gouacho on board KOCHER A Caf6 Aubette, Strasbourg 1927 Color scheme (preceding final version) for ceiling and aliort walls of ballroom Ink and gouache on paper Collection Kocher, Cambridge, Mass KOCllKR D Caf6 Aubette, Strasbourg 1927 Color scheme (preceding finol version) for floor and Xox^z Wvills ol: ballroom Ink and gouache on paper * Collection Kocher, Cambridge, Mass* U G4 Cai6 Avtbotto, Strasbourg 1927 Color scheme for wall of ballroom Black and v;hite print with gouache C Al Caff Aubette, Strasbourg 1927 Dooign for club chair lilack and white print with gouache IWK Shopping gallery vrith restaurant, The Hague Competition project by van Eesteren 1925 Color scheme by van Doesburg Ink, gouache and collage on paper Collection van Eesteren, Amsterdam Studio House van Doesburg, Meudon 1929 Combination of three axonometric projections Ink on paper %"'

6 ( r /^ van Docob\irj»/6 B 79 Stvidio House, project 1930 (with apartment for Darthelomo For) Flans and elevations Pencil and ink on paper Collection van Doeaburg, Paris 4* ) /

7 No 37 I ^ - ^ - m a ^ ^ Immediate Release [he Museum of Modern Art Lest 53 street, New York, NY Tel Cable: Modernart I AP'' ' ^^'o Press Preview: / 3 April 14, am-2 pm, I THEO VAN DOESBURG: THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ARCHITECTURE I An exhibition of 40 original color studies and architectural designs by the Dutch artist Theo van Doesburg (lii ) will be on view at The Museum of Modern Art from April 9 to June 7, 19/0 Executed in the early 1920's, this body of work is now regarded as one of the mosr inpnrtant influences on the development of modern I architecture THEO VAN DOESBURG: IKE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ARCHITECTURE was directed by Ludwig Glaeser, Curator of Architecture, Department of Architecture and Design, and marks the official opening ot a new special exhibition room in the Philip L Goodwin Galleries All existing studies made in 1923 for the famous De Stijl exhibition at L^once Rosenberg's gallery 1'Effort Moderne in Paris are in the exhibition This includes studies for the "Rosenberg House" which van Doesburg was commissioned to design and incorporate into a cultural center Two other important van Doesburg projects were produced in collaboration with the architect C van Eesteren While the architectural skills of van Eesteren assured the feasibility of the projects, van Doesburg used them as a unique opportunity to express his visions of a itew architecture In these projects, titled "Private House" and "House of an Artxst," van Doesburg reduces architecture to its planar elements using color to define space The prophetic "House for an Artist" with its projecting and cantilevered volumes is particularly representative of van Doesburg's ideas The geometrical configuration consists of horizontal and vertical planes which do not seem to touch, but to pass by each other Since only color is used to create a spatial relationship, these studies are often referred to as "time-spatial" architecture The 1927 interior designs for the cafe-restaurant "I'Aubette" in Strasbourg are also shown Two large halls of "I'Aubette", van Doesburg's largest executed project, L (more)

8 -2- offer further demonstration of his concept of architecture These plans reveal the way he structures an internal space by distribution of color over walls and ceilings A writer, painter, and sculptor, as well as an architect, van Doesburg founded the De Stijl group in 1917 with Piet Mondrian, Vilmos Huszar, the architect JJP Oud, and the essayist Antony Kok Van Doesburg contributed generously to the De Stijl journal and became the most prolific propagandist of the movement's aims which amounted to nothing less than a "radical renewal of art" The most important of his many writings is Principles of Neo-Plastic Art, which appeared in 1925 as the sixth volume of the "Bauhaus Books" The De Stijl, which emphasized unifying concepts affecting all the arts, was one of the longest lived and most influential groups of modern artists From the beginning the De Stijl was marked by the most extraordinary collaboration of painters, sculptors, and designers Elements of composition were reduced to independent rectangles and circles, and traditional symmetry was replaced with freely asymmetrical balance and clear flat primary color Today these theories advanced by De Stijl artists provide the basic formal aesthetic of most modern architecture The first historical survey in America of De Stijl artists was shown at The Museum of Modern Art in 1952 Selection of pieces for the current exhibition was based on the van Doesburg exhibition organized by the Stedelijk Museum in Eindloven in 1969 The principle lender is Madame van Doesburg, the artist's widow Important loans were obtained from public and private collections in the United States and Holland Additional information available from Judy Williams, Assistant, and Elizabeth Shaw, Director, Department of Public Information, The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, NY (212)

9 //5 THEO VAN DO SBURG Xheo van Doesburg» born in Utrect, Holland in 1883, wai; an active and versatile champion of modernism in Holland in the 1920fs A painter, sculptor and also architect, he founded the 'De Stijl* group with Piet Nondrain, Vilmos Hussar, the architect JJP, Oud and the essayist Antony Kok Contributing generously to its journal of the same name from 1917 to his death In 1931, van Doesburg was the most prolific? propagandist of the movement's aims which amounted to nothing less than a 'radical renewal of art* Amongj: his many writings, the most important is ''Principles of Neo*Plastic Art"» which originally appeared in 1923 as the sixth volume of the 'Bauhaus Books'* This exhibition will show a selection of some three dozen original drawings representative of Van i Doesburg's architectural ideas In addition to the designs for the interiors of the cafe-restaurant 'L'Aubette'^ completed in 1927 in Strasbourg, the exhibition will include all existing studies done in 1923 with van Eesteren for the famous exhibition of the StiJl group in Leonce Rosenberg's gallery *1'effort Moderne* in Paris In these projects, which were titled 'Analyse de L'Architecture (contre-construction)', van Doesburg reduces architecture to its planar elements using color to define space They are now regarded as one of the moat important influences on the development of the 'International Style' in modem architecture Museum of Modern Art April Calendar 1^70 y